What should have been a celebration of Frank Mason III's game-winning shot quickly turned into chaos Monday night at Charles Koch Arena, as multiple fights overshadowed the ending of the TBT matchup between AfterShocks and JHX Hoops.
The tension began late in the second quarter when AfterShocks' Rashard Kelly knocked JHX Hoops' Mario Chalmers to the floor, sparking a confrontation that emptied both benches. Kelly and Chalmers were each assessed Flagrant 2 fouls and ejected, while seven additional players were also ejected for leaving the bench area, forcing both teams to finish the game with just six available players.
Despite the earlier altercation, the drama wasn't over. Following Frank Mason III's game-winning basket, another fight erupted during the postgame handshake line when Marcus Keene attacked Jacob Hanna, igniting another chaotic scene. During the scuffle, a female team staff member was accidentally struck by what appeared to be a stray punch or elbow. She was left on the ground with blood running down her face, prompting an outpouring of concern on social media as fans and players offered their prayers.
Instead of Mason's game-winner being the lasting image of the night and the awesome environment, the repeated fights and the unfortunate injury to an innocent bystander became the story.
